


Faded Light

by TheBlackCitadel81403



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Depression, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Probably more but I'm bad at this, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:40:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26943802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBlackCitadel81403/pseuds/TheBlackCitadel81403
Summary: A blast from the past arrives on Earth, coming back to haunt the Crystal Gems. It's had an effect on all of them, but Pearl most of all. When Steven returns to visit his home, he finds everyone on edge. A monster from the war has returned, and he has his own bones to pick
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe, Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe), Original Character/Original Character, Ruby/Sapphire (Steven Universe)
Kudos: 4





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to my first fanfic on the revival of my AO3 Account. I hope you all will enjoy it

It was a beautiful day in Beach City. Sunny, warm, and not a cloud in sight. A nice breeze blew through the air, keeping a perfect temperature. Humans and Gems alike walked through the town and worked at their jobs. It was peaceful. Classes at Little Homeworld were over for the day, and the Crystal Gems, Connie, and Greg were gathered at the temple. Steven was on his way back to Beach City to visit after several months travelling the country, and would be back within the next few hours. Garnet was standing on the balcony of the house, arms crossed and staring at the sky. She was deep in thought, eyes closed beneath her visor. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she ran inside the house, alarmed by something she saw in her Future Vision.

"Somethings on its' way. Someone is on its' way. A small ship, made for speed. One person seating for the pilot." She said calmly, frowning slightly. She was not sure what or who it was, or why they were coming by ship instead of the Galaxy Warp.

"Could you tell who was in the vessel?" Pearl asked, standing from the couch. This news concerned her a bit.

"I couldn't, but they'll be here within minutes." Garnet said, before going back outside. She was quickly followed by everyone else in the house. Connie, Pearl, Amethyst, Lapis, Peridot, Bismuth, and Greg. There they all crowded on the balcony, eyes trained on the sky. A cloud had drifted over the sun, the light shining around it. The cloud was scattered by an object bursting through it. The ship, dark and angular, built for speed and maneuverability. It had seen better days, obviously dented and rusted. Its' paint was peeling and smudged, and there were metal panels missing. It stopped about twenty feet above the ground and a hatch opened on the top. Out from it climbed a figure, familiar to several of the Gems there. 

He was tall and thin, wearing light armor with the Diamond Insignia emblazoned on the chest. Standing all the way upright, he was taller than anyone currently present. The armor jutted out over his shoulders, ending in spikes. There was fabric attached to the bottom of the chestplate, around his mid-section, coming down to his ankles. It was split in the front like a cloak. His gauntlets and greaves were spiked towards the elbows and knees. His white hair was curly and thick, coming down to the base of his skull. His purple eyes were almond shaped, and tired. His mouth was drawn in a tight frown. He jumped down from the ship, landing on the sand. An intense heat radiated from his body, felt even as far away as the balcony. The reactions from the individuals on said balcony were somewhat varied.

Greg and Connie were both confused on who this was. They'd never met this gem before. The reaction from the Gems there were pretty much the same though. Shock was present for all of them. Some like Peridot showed fear. Others like Pearl and Bismuth showed horror. They all recognized him quite well.

"N-... No... He can't be here. I shattered him!" Pearl said, eyes wide.

"It seems he survived your fight with him. And now he's here. Let us see what he wants." Garnet said, before hopping down from the balcony to stand before the tall gem. He looked her up and down, not making any moves. He towered almost three feet taller than her.

"Garnet. It's been awhile hasn't it? I believe last time I saw you was during the war." He muttered, voice calm and cold. He sounded tired and worn out.

"Snowflake Obsidian." Garnet said, frowning as she stared up at him.

"Yes, that is me. Now, where is... Steven, I must speak with him. I have something to ask of him." He said, looking at the gems still up on the balcony. "Ah, Pearl. Good to see you again." He continued, cracking a weary smile. Pearl took a step back from the railing.

"He's not here. He'll be back in a few hours though. What are you here for?" Garnet questioned, still wary of this Gem. He was far different from their Snowflake Obsidian.

"Ah. Well then, I shall wait for him up on that hill. It seems a nice place to spend a day." He replied, crossing his arms behind his back before walking off towards the hill. He had not answered her question. Garnet was still wary of him, but he hadn't attacked anyone or even drawn a weapon yet. He seemed far different from the Gem she used to know from the war. The one they all had known back then. An apprehension hung in the air now, thick and heavy. The tension was palpable, almost able to be cut with a knife. Everyone could tell, something was gonna happen

The question was not if, but when.


	2. Hello, Beach City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven returns home, and things are tense. It doesn't take long for him to learn why.

Steven sighed in relief as he saw the sign for Beach City. He'd been driving for hours now and he was tired. He wanted to see his family and friends again. Travelling around the country with just him, his guitar, and his car had done wonders for him. But wandering alone got, well, lonely! It was time for a visit back home. As he drove through town, things seemed normal enough. He parked his car and walked across the sand and up the stairs to his home, opening the door. Almost as soon as he was in the door and before he could say anything, he was tackled in a group hug by everyone.

"Hey! It's good to see you guys! How've you all been?" He asked from within the group hug. The general response was a chorus of 'goods'. Though, there was something wrong. They all seemed very tense and Steven was determined to get to the bottom of it. "Okay, you all seem a bit on edge. What's going on?" He asked, frowning slightly.

"Well... It's a long story. One that dates back to the Gem War. A Gem from then that we thought long gone has returned." Pearl explained. "He wants to speak with you. We don't know what he wants to speak about as he refused to answer. He's sitting up on the hill beside the light house. If you do go to speak to him, there are things you must know." She continued, looking apprehensive.

"He may seem calm on the surface, but during the war... He was a monster. He shattered over a thousand Gems throughout his time in the war by our calculations. He's violent and cold, and may hold a grudge towards Pearl. She was the one who nearly shattered him. After that he wasn't seen in the war again. He was a brutally effective fighter." Garnet also explained.

"Okay, so another Gem effected by the war. Just slightly more violent than usual. I can handle that. I'll go talk to him and see what he wants, and then we can get to enjoying this visit. You can come with if you want." Steven said, setting his bags down inside the house, before leaving. Everyone followed except for Greg, who was told to stay behind. Making their way up the hill, the group saw Snowflake Obsidian. He was now standing, his back turned to them. His arms were crossed behind his back, and he was staring out at the ocean. "So... I was told you were waiting for me?" Steven asked, looking up at the Gem. He turned his head to the side to look at Steven, but did not turn his body.

"Ah, Steven Universe I presume? I am Snowflake Obsidian. I have been waiting for you, yes. I need to speak with you. To ask something of you. Would you be so kind as to hear me out?" He asked, finally completely turning around.

"Alright, let's hear what you have to say. I've heard about what went on in the war. If Jasper can get a second chance, then you can too." Steven said, smiling lightly.

"Thank you. You might want to sit down, as it is a long story." Snowflake Obsidian said, nodding. He took a deep breath before beginning his story.

"I was created on planet ZX-9, a now dead planet that has drifted to close to the star it orbits. I was among the first Snowflake Obsidian that emerged from its rich ground. But I was different from most others. I appeared with a far different appearance than my siblings. I was taller and thinner. At first they were upset that I had come out a 'failure'. That is, until it was realized I could still be useful to them. With the proper training, I was soon an elite soldier in Yellow Diamond's court. When Pink Diamond got her first planet, Earth, I was assigned to go there and make sure all went smoothly. This was about 5000 years or so after my creation. I grew attached to her pretty quickly. Turned a blind eye to the faults she had. I followed orders faithfully. When war broke out, I received new orders. Stay and help stop the rebellion. At the time, I didn't know exactly what that would entail. Until the first battle occurred and I shattered my first gem. I **hated** it. It _disgusted_ me to do it, but I did it anyways. I did it without question. I followed orders, or else I might be on the chopping block next."

"About halfway through the war, I had racked up exactly 1,580 kills. I was growing numb to it. And that is when I entered one on one combat with Pearl over there. It was exactly the fight I was not made for. I was too big and not nimble enough. I had range, but if she got too close, she could deal massive damage. I did everything to stop that, but everything was not enough. I wound up with a _spear through my chest_. Through my **Gem**. She left pretty quickly, thinking me shattered. I was not. I was removed from Earth and brought back to Homeworld, where I would spend the rest of the war. When I heard Pink was 'Shattered', I grieved like everyone else. I was given a new purpose. The Head Executioner in Yellow Diamond's Court. I... _I shattered so many_... so many Gems. I can still _see_ them. I can... I can still **hear** them."

"And then you came along. With you came news. Such strange, and horrid, and wonderful changes. First, we thought we had captured the one who Shattered Pink Diamond. And then it turned out she was never shattered and that she was Rose Quartz. At first, I was overjoyed to hear she had never been shattered. But then... Then... It hit me. It hit me like that spear. A stabbing and burning pain in me. She **betrayed** us. All those Gems I shattered in the war. _What was it all for?_ **Nothing**. It was all for nothing." He said, voice trembling. "... I know you are not Pink Diamond. I know you are not Rose Quartz. You are your own person. Someone better than them... With the sweeping reforms, my job was disbanded. I tried. I tried to fit in. I tried to find a new thing to do. Nothing stuck. Nothing felt right. And that's when a thought struck me. That's when a single though hit me like a starship."

" _Killing_ , was all I had ever done. All I had ever known. For over **5000** years, it was all I had ever done. It was all I was good for. All that I could do." He said, fists clenching. He turned back around to look at the ocean. "I have no hopes. I have no dreams. I have **absolutely nothing**. The only thing I have is _death_. When I close my eyes, all I can see is shards. When I'm alone, all I hear is screams. _I'm a **monster**_... There's no forgiveness for my actions. Nothing I do could ever redeem me. Fighting is all I have left." He finished, staring down at the ground

"So, that is what I ask of you. I ask for a simple battle. One last time. A last fight, to put me to rest... Will you fight me?" He asked, not turning to face them. Steven had listened to the entire story, feeling a little bit bad for him. And then he heard the question, and his eyes widened. Was he asking him to kill him?

"I... No, I won't fight you. I don't want to fight anyone." Steven said, standing up. He was really hoping that Snowflake Obsidian would stand down

"Hm. I expected this response. If you will not fight me..." He said, summoning his weapon. A large Axe-Hammer hybrid. He turned to face them again. He waved a hand over his face and a mask appeared over his face. It had two speakers near the mouth, and a downward arrow shaped visor with a holographic red iris.

"... I will force you to do so."


End file.
